I’ll admit it, I’m guilty of it. I don’t mean to be, but I know that I’ve done it. I’ve chatted with someone going through some, “thick stuff in life”, and I end the conversation with, “I’ll pray about that for you.” Then, life gets in the way, or something happens, and I completely forget to do it. Ever been there?
Just the other day, I was in the store and speaking to a woman, Trisha, who shared with me that she had just said goodbye to her dog of 15 years. She was heartbroken. She apologized several times for getting choked up and crying.
I shared with her that saying goodbye to a pet, a member of your family, is very hard. We had to make that tough decision in 2020, when we had to put down our ol’ boy, Kramer.
As I walked away from Trisha, I said, “I’ll be praying for you and your family.” She smiled, and I walked toward the fresh produce.
Then I heard it. Through the squeaky grocery carts and the overhead music, I heard the still small voice saying, “Go pray with her now”.
I turned around and said, “Trisha, can I pray with you now?” That’s all it took. “I’d love that” she said. So there, by the baked goods, we prayed.
Yeah, I had to take a bit of a bold step to ask to pray in the middle of the store, but I did it. Why? Because I know that once I started trying to find the best bananas, or find the shortest check-out line, it could escape my mind.
Perhaps you’re reading this and thinking, “There is no way I would pray with someone, especially in a store”. That is OK!! There was a time that I felt that same way. But, over time, I became more comfortable with it, and it became easier.
Taking a bold step isn’t easy. It does take work. Running your first 5k, isn’t easy either. But, with some practice, the miles get easier. Next thing you know, you’re signing up for longer distance races.
Please don’t get me wrong, offering to pray some for someone, and saying, “I’ll pray for you” IS a bold and wonderful step. I just find that many times, trying to find the best bananas becomes a bigger distraction.
Pray daily. Go make a difference. Always run by faith!